Lentil Salad is a vegan, plant-based, protein-packed salad recipe with fresh vegetables and a spicy and flavorful lemon garlic dressing. It is a perfect meal-prep salad recipe.
Best lentil salad
If you want a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free salad recipe, try our lentil salad. It's packed with high protein, low in cholesterol, and is good for your lunchbox, potlucks, picnics, or weight loss diet. You can add any vegetables of your choice.
Don't miss out on our lentil quinoa salad and cauliflower lentil curry.
Ingredients
Lentil: I have used red lentils, also known as masoor dal, in India to make red lentil salad. You can use green or brown too.
Vegetables: Cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and radishes are what I have used today.
For herbs: parsley or cilantro.
Spicy lemon garlic dressing: lemon, garlic, oil, black pepper powder, and paprika (red chile powder).
Check out the recipe card for the full list of the ingredients.
Variations
Mediterranean Lentil Salad: Add olives, crumbled feta cheese, and olives for the same salad.
Spicy Lentil Salad: Other than dressing, add some chopped jalapenos.
Creamy lentil salad: Add some mashed avocado.
Warm salad: Saute the mushrooms, steam broccoli and kale, and add it to the salad.
Step-by-step instructions
How to cook lentils?
- If you are using canned lentils, skip this step. Otherwise, soak the lentils overnight for faster cooking.
- Then drain and transfer the lentil to a pot and cover with enough water and salt to taste.
- Cook covered on a medium flame for 15 to 18 minutes or until cooked. Drain excess liquid and set aside to cool.
Prepare spicy lemon dressing
In a bowl, take lemon juice and add roasted garlic, oil, black pepper powder, and paprika (or red chili powder). Whisk everything well until they emulsify. Set aside for later.
Vegan lentil salad
- Add the cooked lentil, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, radish, or any other vegetables of your choice in a salad bowl.
- Add salt and cilantro, followed by the above dressing, and mix well.
Tips
- Do not overcook the lentil. Let it be slightly firm for the best texture.
- You can serve this salad at room temperature or cold and enjoy it.
- This meal prep salad stays fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- You can garnish with crumbled feta cheese and almonds for crunch.
- This salad tastes better when mixed and served after 30 minutes so that the flavors combine well.
- You can also prep the veggies, cook the lentils, prepare the dressing, and keep everything in separate boxes. Toss 15 minutes before you are ready to eat.
- To prepare roasted garlic, place the pan on a low flame. Add oil and crushed garlic cloves. Saute the garlic cloves for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden in color.
Serving suggestions
Lentil salad can be served as one complete meal or as a side with pita bread, roasted chicken, or wraps.
More easy lentil recipes
Recipe card
Lentil Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
For Spicy Lemon Dressing
- 4 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 8 cloves Garlic roasted
- 1 tablespoon Oil olive or coconut
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika red chilli powder
For Lentil Salad
- ½ cup Whole lentil dried or use canned lentils.
- 1 cup Cucumber chopped
- ½ cup Tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup Green bell pepper capsicum, chopped
- ½ cup Radish chopped
- ½ teaspoon Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon Cilantro chopped
Instructions
How to cook lentil?
- If you are using canned lentils, skip this step. Otherwise, soak the lentil overnight for faster cooking.½ cup Whole lentil
- Then drain and transfer the lentil to a pot and cover with enough water and salt to taste.
- Cook covered on a medium flame for 15 to 18 minutes or until cooked. Drain excess liquid and set aside to cool.
Prepare Spicy Lemon Dressing
- In a bowl, take lemon juice, add roasted garlic, oil, black pepper powder, and paprika (or red chillie powder). Whisk everything well until they emulsify. Set aside for later.4 tablespoon Lemon juice, 8 cloves Garlic, 1 tablespoon Oil, 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon Paprika
Easy Vegan Lentil Salad
- In a salad bowl, add the cooked lentil, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, radish, or any other vegetables of your choice.1 cup Cucumber, ½ cup Tomatoes, ½ cup Green bell pepper, ½ cup Radish
- Add salt and cilantro, followed by the dressing prepared above and mix well.½ teaspoon Salt, 2 tablespoon Cilantro
- Serve and enjoy this best lentil salad.
Video
Notes
- Do not overcook the lentil. Let it be slightly firm for the best texture.
- You can serve this salad at room temperature or cold and enjoy it.
- This meal prep salad stays fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- You can garnish with crumbled feta cheese and almonds for crunch.
- This salad tastes better when mixed and served after 30 minutes so that the flavors combine well.
- You can also prep the veggies, cook the lentils, prepare the dressing, and keep everything in separate boxes. Toss 15 minutes before you are ready to eat.
- To prepare roasted garlic, place the pan on a low flame. Add oil and crushed garlic cloves. Saute the garlic cloves for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden in color.
Nutrition
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